Tewodros Ashenafi

• Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
  SouthWest Energy

Mr. Ashenafi is the Founder, Chairman & CEO of SouthWest Energy (HK) Ltd; the first Ethiopian oil and gas exploration company. He is also the Chairman of SouthWest Development, PLC; a leading Ethiopian oil and gas services company. Mr. Ashenafi is Chairman of Ambo Mineral Water S.C, one of the leading beverage brands in Ethiopia. He started his career at Merrill Lynch & Co. Prior to founding SouthWest Energy, Mr. Ashenafi undertook international, political and economic advisory work. Mr. Ashenafi is on the board of EastWest Institute; a leading security think and do tank. He is on the international board of Right to Play; an international humanitarian and development organization. Mr. Ashenafi is also on the Advisory Board of Development Partners International (DPI); a leading Africa focused private equity firm. Mr Ashenafi holds a degree in Economics from Columbia University. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School. Mr. Ashenafi was named a Young Global Leader (2009) by the World Economic Forum, as one of 200 outstanding leaders in their field under the age of 40.